2026 Valedictorian Address
Thank you all for joining us today.
To echo what Mateo said, the Ridgeview class of 2026 is one of the tightest knit classes to pass through this school. We were the first class to have full attendance on an outdoor trip, not once but twice. This goes to show a lot about the character and grit of our class. We are not likely to turn away from a challenge, especially given the confidence that we have in our ability to rely on each other. Although many of the challenges we have faced eventually resulted in excitement and adventure, they have not all been that way. For many of us, we experienced the loss of our beloved classmate, Juliana, seven years ago. We can all only hope to carry forward the immense love, kindness, and strength that she displayed until her final day with us.
This class has had our moments of hardships, as well as our moments of triumph. We have all taken away something meaningful from our education. Every student on this stage has crossed the finish line, and we have done it together. We have all challenged each other, we have all learned from each other, and at the end of the day, no matter what honors a student does or does not walk away with, our years of education were about so much more than the grades we received. The real importance of our time at Ridgeview lies in the relationships we formed, in the desire we found to learn, and in the passions that we pursued outside of the classroom. These things have helped shape us to become the people that we are today, and now, as those people, we are about to embark on our life journeys. So, as we experience our final moments as high schoolers, I hope you all place limited emphasis on the grades you received, the awards assemblies you sat through, and every other material marker of a “good” education. I hope you instead carry with you the hallmark of a true education: the desire to learn, the desire to grow, and the desire to do so alongside others. I would like to extend a sincere thank you to all of the teachers who have helped us to receive this type of education. And thank you to everyone who has joined us in sending off the class of 2026.
